Page 50 - Forbes - Asia (October 2019)

breakthrough: the 350.
Marrying his eye for de-
sign with Adidas’ Boost
technology, which pur-
ports to efficiently return
energy to runners, West
turned trainers into high
fashion and made low-
top sneakers cool again.
The 350’s aggressive
stance, leaning forward
as if to challenge any foe
to a footrace, sudden-
ly had scores of people
willing to cough up $200
for a pair of running
shoes. Adidas has never
released Yeezy’s num-
bers, but in 2016 West
let it slip that his sneak-
ers were selling out sur-
prise 40,000-pair drops
in minutes.
His wife—West and
Kardashian married in
Florence in 2014—gets
an assist here, open-
ing up West to her fami-
ly’s hundreds of millions
of social media followers
(they routinely sport his
Yeezy shoes and apparel).
The partnership “You can’t
works both ways. Kar-
dashian West seeks out
all of her projects, from calculate love.”
her husband’s opinion on

the Kim Kardashian: Hol-
lywood mobile game to JAMEL TOPPIN FOR FORBES
her recent shapewear
line. When she brought
him mockups for the lat-

2008 2010 2012

Splits with My Beautiful Dark Nike releases the Air
fianceé Twisted Fantasy, West’s Yeezy II; it now resells
Alexis Phifer, magnum opus, debuts for thousands.
releases 808s at No. 1. 2013
& Heartbreak. 2009
Leaves Nike for
Releases first collaboration a new shoe deal
with Nike, the Air Yeezy I. with Adidas.

48 | FORBES ASIA OCTOBER 2019